


Unthinkable

by hope27



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: 2x23 speculation fic, F/M, Season 2 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-13
Updated: 2014-05-13
Packaged: 2018-01-24 13:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1607351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hope27/pseuds/hope27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver must face Slade one more time, only this time, he has someone very close to Oliver's heart in his grasp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unthinkable

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N:** Hey all! This came to me last week after the promo photos were released. I wasn't sure if I was going to finish it or not but then inspiration struck again this weekend and well, here we are. I know there are many of these fics out there, but this is my take and how, if a father reveal goes down, it could happen (not saying that it will AT ALL), just a thought I had. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much for all your support!
> 
> I LOVE to hear what you think so please let me know! Thank you! :)
> 
> Sorry for the use of the actual title of the episode...I'm drawing blanks in the title department tonight.

She didn't dare move. Her body was thrown to the ground as Slade stalked around her, talking about things she didn't understand, but using names she did. Oliver, kid, Shado, Sara...Lian Yu…

She felt when he arrived. A familiar tug pulled at her heart, her body responding to the distinct feeling of his eyes on her. Taking a deep breath, she focused her gaze on the cold concrete beneath her until she felt hands at her waist and then she was being pulled harshly to her feet.

A soft gasp fell from her lips followed by a cry when she felt the cold metal against her neck.

"Slade!" Oliver's voice boomed in the large space, strong yet she heard his desperation. "Let her go!"

She could feel the confidence oozing off the man who held her captive, and knew he was smirking. "Why would I do that, kid?" he sneered. "I told you one more must die..."

A shudder ran through her body, a whimper working it's way up her throat as she tried to fight the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"No!" Oliver cried, voice breaking as his face fell, desperate eyes flickering between her and Slade. "No one else dies. You want me. I'm right here."

The deep laugh that fell from Slade’s mouth sent shivers racing down her spine. "No, kid, I want you to suffer. To lose everything like I lost everything!" he roared.

"Slade, I tried...I tried to keep her safe. I I wanted him to chose me, but he didn’t..." Oliver began, pleading and desperate.

"No!" Slade spat. "No, you failed. Just like you failed your father and your mother and every other person you've made promises to. Just like you will fail her." 

Felicity could feel him nod towards her and Oliver's gaze immediately fell to her face, eyes searching hers and she could see every emotion written plainly in his stark blue eyes. He was trying to hold it together; fighting against the overwhelming darkness that she could see clawing it's way to the surface.

"He's wrong," she whispered, her voice soft yet somehow loud, as it echoed around them. "Oliver, you haven't let me down. You haven't let your mother or your father down. You've fought - all they wanted for you is to live and survive and love and fight. You're doing that. You haven't let me down...You could never..."

"Shut up!" Slade roared, jerking her backwards and she felt the knife slice into her skin and she hissed, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Felicity..."

Beneath wet eyelashes, she stared up at him, pulling all of the strength she had and showing him how much she believed in him. "Two things, Oliver, remember. I know two things."

He blinked at her and then the dawning flickered in his eyes. Letting out a breath, she saw him draw his shoulder up, harnessing all the strength and light and anger and love in his body and directing it at the man who held her hostage; the man he used to call brother.

"This ends now," Oliver stated, his voice stronger than she'd heard it in weeks. "No one else dies. This is between you and me, Slade. She's innocent in all of this..."

"And right there is why she's the one who has to die," Slade breathed into her ear and she bit her lip to keep the sob from escaping.

"Why?" Felicity asked, knowing she shouldn't, but her brain to mouth filter failed once again. “Why me?”

She felt the curve of his lips, before he spoke. "Because you give him hope. You give him a conscience. He listens to you. He cares for her. He killed again...for you. I promised I would destroy his life, take everything from him, including the one he loves the most...the one he can't live without. And, that my dear, is you."

Felicity's heart pounded in her chest, his words slowly sinking in as tears streamed down her face. She lifted watery eyes to Oliver and saw him staring at both of them with something akin to surprise and dawning realization - a sadness and yet affirmation etched into his features.

"And you...I've seen the way you look at him," Slade hissed, knife tightening at her throat as a cold fear washed over her when she realized those were the same words Moira had said to her. "You stand by his side; care for him from a distance, tried to hide your feelings...but I can tell. You love him."

Felicity bit down on her bottom lip, blood pounding through her ears as she knew she couldn't deny his words. Her heart ached for him, bled for him when he was hurt and smiled for him when he found joy. 

"Slade, stop!" Oliver's voice thundered around her and she realized she was having trouble breathing, his hold on her becoming tighter and tighter.

"There's only one way this ends, kid, accept it!"

"No!" He roared and Felicity saw it, that look in his eyes - the same one he got the night the Count took her.

"Oliver," she gasped. "It's okay. I just...I need you to know...I love you. I do, and none of this is your fault. You have so much goodness inside of you, so much light. Never let go of that...promise me..."

"Felicity..." His voice cracked as he began to shake his head back and forth.

She have him a smile as she finally worked the syringe she had in her pants pocket and kept her eyes trained on his as she threw her arm back, plunging the needle as deep as she could into Slade. 

The man who held her roared and she felt the blade slice into her neck and down her shoulder but before he could catch himself, there arrows sunk into his chest over his heart.

His sword clanked to the ground as she hit the pavement. She felt blood soaking her shirt and it was harder and harder to keep her eyes open.

"FELICITY!"

She felt the warm stickiness of blood as it trickled down her neck, not much but enough to cause her to raise a shaking hand to her throat. Her when she pulled it away she was thankful to see it wasn’t covering her fingers, until she let it fall to her shoulder and that’s when she found the larger cut. Blood soaked into the fabric of her coat and her vision blackened at the edges. Her head throbbed, her breaths coming up in short pants as she tried to fight the pull of unconsciousness. 

Then Oliver was there - frantic eyes searching hers, tears leaking down his cheeks.

“Stay with me,” he begged, his voice sounding more broken than she’d ever heard it before. “Don’t you dare leave me, Felicity Smoak!”

She tried to smile, “It’ll be okay, Oliver,” she whispered as she let his hands cradle her head. 

His eyes flicked down to the small wound on her neck and then lower to the growing pool of blood above her clavicle, and he quickly pressed his hand against her shoulder, bracing her back with his other, his bow discarded by their feet. 

She felt him move try to loosen the ties at her waist and pull open the collar of her coat. She hissed at the movement and whispered apologies left his lips. “It’s bleeding a lot, I can’t see how deep it is, but I don’t think it’s too bad…” he stated after a moment, and she could hear the stark relief in his voice as it cracked on the last word.

Her vision blurred and she pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead. “My head…” she whispered, feeling herself tilting to the side.

Oliver’s hands steadied her once more as he continued to beg her to stay with him; to stay awake. “Digg and Lyla are on their way,” she heard him say but she could hear by the tone of his voice that they weren’t close enough for his liking.

The rasping last breaths of the man near them drew her attention and she turned her face to stare at Slade as he glared at them both as he lay prone on the cold concrete. “You have so much faith in him...so much faith in the man who killed your father…”

Felicity’s ears rang, her back straightening as she furrowed her brow, breaths coming out in slow shallow pants as she tried to focus. Everything was blurring together, but Slade’s words cut through it all. 

“What are you talking about?” Her voice shook as she met his gaze, one filled with so much darkness and hatred that her heart ached.

A trickle of blood escaped Slade’s mouth as he smiled, a man ready to deliver his final blow. “Your father, love. What was his name?”

“Tony...he abandoned my mother and I...I looked for him but…” Her words trailed off as she felt Oliver stiffen beside her. 

Her eyes flew to his and she saw his mouth opening in abject horror as he looked at Slade.

“That’s right, kid,” Slade rasped smugly. “Her father was Ivo. Dr. Anthony Ivo...and you killed him. You killed her father in cold blood.”

Felicity’s pulse quicken as her eyes flew to Oliver’s face, horror and agony flashing through his gaze. Her world began to spin and she slammed her eyes close to try and resist the pull towards unconsciousness that was only getting stronger. She had to fight, to hold on for just a little bit longer.

The ragged breath he released made her realize he’d taken her reaction to her injuries as one to the new knowledge they’d both gained. Her eyes fluttered opened to see him beginning to emotionally withdraw from her; a blanched expression on his face.

When he finally met her gaze, he opened his mouth, shaking his head, “I...I didn’t...I didn’t know. Felicity, I _swear_ , I didn’t know.”

His voice shook her to her core - that of a man frightened and shocked beyond belief. “Felicity, please...he was already dying and he begged us...he begged us to end it quickly if he told us about the cure…if I had known…”

Her blood-stained hand reached for his cheek, feeling the wetness upon his skin as he begged for some kind of redemption and forgiveness. “Shhh,” she hushed him, her neck and shoulder aching as she tried to turn so she could see him better. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I don’t blame you. You did what you had to do, Oliver…”

Red-rimmed eyes met hers and she could barely find her breath as he stared at her in wonder. “I’m so sorry,” he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers.

“I know,” she breathed, their lips millimeters apart as they shared the same breaths until they heard the roar from beside them.

“NO!” Slade cried. “No, he is a murderer - he killed your father. He killed Shado! He’s a killer! He doesn’t deserve your forgiveness.”

Felicity didn’t look at him, focusing instead on the man in front of her, the man she’d do anything for; the man who had carved out a place in her heart so deep and wide that she knew no one else would be able to fill it. 

“You’re wrong,” she stated, loud enough for Slade to hear. “He’s a survivor and a hero,” she stated, loud enough for Slade to hear. 

A roar of rage filled the large warehouse and then there was nothing but silence. Without looking over, she knew that the cure had worked and the arrows had hit their mark.

It was as if all her strength depleted knowing the main source of danger was gone. Her body collapsed forward, her head pounding - the cut along her temple from the car accident throbbing with every move - and all she heard was Oliver’s desperate cry before everything went black.

She woke slowly, a soft groan escaping her as she automatically tried to move and stabs of pain tore through her body.

“Hey,” she heard Oliver’s familiar voice and she couldn’t help but smile as she opened her eyes, the bright lights of what looked to be a hospital room shining down on her. “Don’t move too much.”

Blinking, she swallowed and winced at the dull ache, her hand flying to her throat to find a small bandage. When she tried to move her other arm, she cried out, her shoulder throbbing as much as her head. Oliver was at her side in an instant, his hand grasping hers and giving it a gentle squeeze as he tracked her every movement and she saw the guilt swimming in his eyes as everything that happened came back to her.

“The cut on your throat wasn’t deep. It didn’t even need stitches. Your shoulder is worse - ten stitches,” he stated in a detached voice, his knuckles white as he gripped the railing of the bed with the hand that wasn’t holding hers. “You had a concussion from when the van flipped, the laceration on you head took a few stitches as well.”

“They weren’t sure when you were going to wake up…” Oliver ran a hand over his face as his voice broke, his stubble longer than usual and she wondered how long she’d been out.

As if he could read her mind, he glanced at the clock, “38 hours and 27 minutes…”

His voice was gravelly and tired, lines of worry and exhaustion etched into his face. He was out of his suit, in a rumbled pair of jeans and a pullover. His eyes drank her in, and she could feel the apprehension and fear still clinging to him.

Turning her hand, she let her fingers lace with his and held on tightly. “Is everyone…”

He nodded. “We’re at ARGUS headquarters. Digg should be back soon - he’s talking with ARGUS officials about Waller. Roy is with Thea and Sara is with Laurel and her father. They were all worried about you…Digg almost didn’t leave...”

His voice was hoarse and his eyes cut away from hers and she saw the muscle in his jaw work as she reined in his emotions. “There was so much blood and you were unconscious…”

Tears stung at her eyes when she glimpses the devastatingly raw emotions splayed across his face, and Slade’s words came back to her. 

“I’m okay,” she told him softly. “We’re okay…”

Her words seemed to take the air out of him as he sagged forward. She tugged his hand and he took her hint, gently lowering the railing and sitting on the edge of her bed.

“How’s the city?” she asked quietly, her eyes traveling to the closed curtains.

“Not good,” he ground out, “Slade did a lot of damage before we stopped him…”

Felicity nodded, her body protesting as she tried to sit up further on the bed. Oliver immediately shifted closer, his hands moving around her back to ease her into a more comfortable position. The hospital gown she wore left her back exposed and the heat from his hand sent tingles racing through her skin.

She breathed out a long breath, his scent surrounding her and for a moment, just before he was about to lean back, she let her head fall forward and land against his chest.

He froze for seconds before she felt him respond, his body canting towards hers and engulfing her in his gentle embrace. Silent tears leaked down her cheeks and she worked to pull in breaths through her sobs. The past few days caught up to her in a matter of seconds and she could no longer hold it all in. Everything that had happened with Slade and Oliver and the city; it all crashed down on her. The revelation about her father and Oliver and Slade trying to use it as his last trump card still left her reeling. Slade had thought it would turn her against him - break her trust in him.

Only it didn’t work. He underestimated the strength of their relationship and the belief she had in Oliver. She’d known the moment she looked at him after Slade had revealed the truth that he hadn’t known; that he was horrified and terrified at the same time. She’d seen the absolute fear that she would walk away from him; that she would leave him like everyone else in his life. 

But her heart could never hate Oliver Queen for in so many ways and in the way that mattered, he held it. She loved him. Slade had been right about that - at least on her end. No matter how many times she tried to deny it to herself, her heart was his. She loved him; every part of him - dark and light, good and bad and everything in between. She _loved_ him. Where the world might see a broken and damaged man, she saw a hero; a man who has fought and continued to fight despite every reason not to - and yet he did. He fought to protect and save those he loves and the city he loves.

As her cries quieted, his hands slipped through her mussed hair and she clasped his shirt between her fingers, holding on to him tightly. She felt his stubble against her cheek as he pressed a kiss there before burying his head into the crook of her uninjured shoulder.

Together, they held each other in silence, the only noise they could hear was the gentle sound of the monitor and their steady, even breaths.

Slade hadn’t won. If anything, he’d brought unspoken truths to light and only made their bond even stronger.


End file.
